Blue Bulls player in custody after policeman’s death

A Blue Bulls rugby player was in police custody on Friday following the death of a Tshwane metro policeman in Pretoria, his lawyer said. A Tshwane metro police officer was allegedly beaten to death in the early hours on Friday

"I believe there was an incident where a policeman died, passed away, and I know [he] was involved in the incident.

How he was involved I don’t know yet, I can’t tell you," said attorney Ernst Serfontein.

An advocate was consulting the player at the Sunnyside police station on Friday morning and it was possible he could appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court later in the day, or on Monday.

Earlier, the club said it was aware of "the alleged involvement of a player in an incident involving a policeman who died".

"We do not have any factual information at this stage, but have been informed that the policeman passed away," Blue Bulls Rugby said in a statement issued by Blue Bulls High Performance Manager, Ian Schwartz.

"We would like to express our sincerest condolences to the relatives of the deceased.

We are not in a position to make any further comments in this regard."

A Tshwane metro police officer was allegedly beaten to death in the early hours on Friday, according to paramedics.

Colonel Eugene Opperman said a case of murder had been opened but would give no further details.

Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha said paramedics found the critically injured police officer lying in the middle of Schoeman Street. The officer died moments later of extensive injuries.

The Blue Bulls will play the Pumas at Nelspruit’s Mbombela stadium on Friday night. Sapa

Bulls player ‘pulled off cop’ The Blue Bulls rugby player who was arrested allegedly in connection with the death of a Metro cop was still on top of the deceased when cops responded to a complaint of assault in Pretoria, a police spokesperson has said to News24.

"The suspect was on top of the deceased when police arrived on the scene," Captain Katlego Mogale told News24.

Mogale said the metro cop was in his "full uniform" at the time of the incident.

"He was pulled off and an ambulance was called," she said.

The suspect was arrested and is currently at the Sunnyside police station and a case of murder is being investigated, she said.

Netcare911 spokesperson Chris Botha told News24 that when paramedics arrived on the scene the deceased was already dead.

"He had a massive injury to the head. I don’t know what they used (to hit him)," he said to News24.

"Too traumatised" to say what happened Details were still sketchy on Friday afternoon about the death of Pretoria metro policeman Ntshimane Johannes Mogale in an incident allegedly involving a Blue Bulls rugby player.

The 38-year-old Mogale, who was married with children, died after an incident on the corner of Schoeman and Richard streets, in Hatfield, early on Friday morning.

"This happened after the officers had apparently apprehended a member of the public for alleged drunken driving at around 2am," member of the mayoral committee on community safety Dikeledi Lehobye said at a press briefing.

She said the metro had spoken to two other officers, but they were too traumatised to add clarity on what had happened.

She did not want to say more because a rugby player was in police custody on allegations relating to Mogale’s death.

"The department views this incident in a serious light. For us, the loss of one member is one loss too many," Lehobye said.

She said Mogale had been with the metro police for four years.

Earlier, the rugby player’s lawyers were trying to have him brought before court before the weekend.

"We are trying to arrange for him to appear in court. He is still in custody," said attorney Ernst Serfontein.

In terms of the law, police may keep someone in custody for up to 48 hours after their arrest. Anyone arrested on a Friday can be held until after the weekend, she said. Sapa Read Eight children die in Cape accident and Memorial to Amy Biehl unveiled in South Africa